Why do people strongly opine about topics they know nothing about?

[loneryder]

I think these quotes say it all. It's directly linked to intellectual capacity. The less intelligent someone is the harder it is to understand the scope of any particular topic.

Stupid people don't know they are stupid.

 

[loneryder]

This brings up another good topic on the use of AI. I use it all the time for two things:

1. To summarize a bunch information I already understand. Example - List the experimentally confirmed parts of the Standard Model. The important part is I have read at least 10 books on this subject and I know a lot about it. I just don't want to waste time reinventing the wheel so to speak.

2. Make the post read clearly without having to go into editor mode - I list MY ideas and tell AI to organize them into a clear post.

The goals is to get MY ideas out as quickly and clearly as possible. In both these examples (all examples), I have still have to read the output and know whether or not what it's producing is accurate and whether or not I agree with it. It has third positive effect of toning down my more confrontational side.

What happened to using your brain to summarize. AI makes us lazy.

 

[JeffKeryk]

What happened to using your brain to summarize. AI makes us lazy.

Well, that could be said about most tools...

 

[mojoe]

One thing I've never understood is why people are so comfortable having strong opinions about subjects they've never seriously studied and in many cases even thought about.

I don't mean disagreement. Disagreement is healthy. I'm talking about confidently declaring that an entire field is wrong while having little or no familiarity with the evidence, research, or arguments behind it.

If I know nothing about structural engineering, I don't assume I can walk into a room and explain why bridges are built incorrectly. If I know nothing about medicine, I don't assume decades of research can be dismissed based on a few minutes of thought. Yet when it comes to science, economics, history, or other complex topics, many people seem perfectly comfortable doing exactly that.

What causes this? Is it overconfidence? The internet rewarding certainty over curiosity? A distrust of expertise? Or have we simply lost the habit of saying, "I don't know enough about this to have an opinion yet"?

Who cares about your "feelings" about a topic, I certainly don't, and neither does the evidence. It seems to me that intellectual humility should be the starting point for learning, not the exception.

Here's what I see happening on this board (and similar ones) all of the time: People who are absolutely certain, for whatever reason, that their understanding and interpretaion of the facts/data is 100% correct. Because they are referencing data, they confuse their opinions with facts, and are insulted and highly condescending when others question or disagree with those opinions.

 

[duck__dodgers]

Dunning-Kreuger effect---Not knowing what you're a dummy about + the internet gives everyone a megaphone.

 

[Kira]

Skepticism is necessary, but it has to be disciplined skepticism and not just reflexive distrust.

RELATED ANECDOTE:
I had a roommate who'd quote one or two sentences and believe himself to be smart.
He'd say, "Skepticism is no substitute for wisdom".
However, when you consider the constant sales pitching, political lying and ego esuagement of today's communication landscape, skepticism is a great place to start.

Hey, I've said that here before.

 

[k1xv]

Having a strong opinion with zero underlying knowledge indicates ingrained prejudice.

 

[2005jettatdi]

I can't say...I know little about the Egyptian pyramids.

I know something very important about the Egyptian pyramids. I know they are there. Herodotus explained how they were built, but that was over 2,000 years later.

 

[Pablo]

As a metallurgist, my pet peeve is when people argue with me about metallurgical facts, especially those who talk about how they soften copper crush washers.

Annealing. Copper.

A) Quench rapidly!!

B) Cool slowly!!

C) Don't know. Not all metals are the same.

 

[Revving2Redline]

Im not the brightest light bulb in the lineup, but I surely am not the dimmest bulb either. My experience comes from extensive wheel/window time to fairly high odometer readings on original engines and transmissions. My knowledge comes from a more primitive angle but its served me well.

 

[JeffKeryk]

RELATED ANECDOTE:
I had a roommate who'd quote one or two sentences and believe himself to be smart.
He'd say, "Skepticism is no substitute for wisdom".
However, when you consider the constant sales pitching, political lying and ego esuagement of today's communication landscape, skepticism is a great place to start.

Hey, I've said that here before.

Oh yeah, I'm a skeptic all right... Mainly about myself.

 

[Pablo]

Oh yeah, I'm a skeptic all right... Mainly about myself.

More rounded successful people have healthy self skepticism

 

[fat biker]

My simple explanation based only on my life experience.
Oversupply of very stupid people.

 

[Pablo]

My simple explanation based only on my life experience.
Oversupply of very stupid people.

That must mean they are cheap!

 

[mojoe]

That must mean they are cheap!

Yes, we ... er, uh. THEY are.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Another aspect of this is denying you were wrong when shown the evidence, or experiencing the consequences!

 

[SevenBizzos]

One thing I've never understood is why people are so comfortable having strong opinions about subjects they've never seriously studied and in many cases even thought about.

I don't mean disagreement. Disagreement is healthy. I'm talking about confidently declaring that an entire field is wrong while having little or no familiarity with the evidence, research, or arguments behind it.

If I know nothing about structural engineering, I don't assume I can walk into a room and explain why bridges are built incorrectly. If I know nothing about medicine, I don't assume decades of research can be dismissed based on a few minutes of thought. Yet when it comes to science, economics, history, or other complex topics, many people seem perfectly comfortable doing exactly that.

What causes this? Is it overconfidence? The internet rewarding certainty over curiosity? A distrust of expertise? Or have we simply lost the habit of saying, "I don't know enough about this to have an opinion yet"?

Who cares about your "feelings" about a topic, I certainly don't, and neither does the evidence. It seems to me that intellectual humility should be the starting point for learning, not the exception.

**Deleted**

 

[JohnnyG]

"You don't know what you don't know"

Dr Phil, 1986

 

[PWMDMD]

What happened to using your brain to summarize. AI makes us lazy.

Please don't take this wrong way - I'm a very busy professional with ADHD doing and thinking about a million things. While I'm perfectly capable of using my brain to summarize any idea I have, I simply don't want to put in the effort here when there is a faster and easier way to do it.

 

[AuthorEditor]

A further aspect of this is it is really hard to dislodge long-held beliefs lodged there by authoritative figures. Witness the endless arguments here about OCIs or oil specs. I had an elderly relative who refused to wear a seatbelt because she had heard stories about people trapped in cars. Well she managed to roll her car and she was launched from the vehicle and landed relatively unhurt compared to the totaled vehicle. In her 80s! Proved her point I guess.